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29 May, 2007

Schmidt: Mobile ads ‘twice as profitable’

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Eric Schmidt, chief executive at Google, expresses that mobile advertising is twice as lucrative as traditional online advertising:

What’s interesting about the ads in the mobile phone is that they are twice as profitable or more than the nonmobile phone ads because they’re more personal.

5 Nov, 2007

Android announced

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The Open Handset Alliance, a collection of 34 firms including T-Mobile, HTC, Qualcomm and Motorola, announces they plan to collaborate with Google to develop Android. They hope it will be the first open platform for mobile phones. Google CEO Eric Schmidt says:

Today’s announcement is more ambitious than any single ‘Google Phone’ that the press has been speculating about over the past few weeks. Our vision is that the powerful platform we’re unveiling will power thousands of different phone models.

5 Jan, 2010

Nexus One

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The Nexus One, the first phone in Google’s line of Nexus Android devices, is released at a cost of $529. The device has 512 MB RAM, a 5 megapixel camera, and a 4GB removable SD card. All devices in the Nexus line of products are not tied to any specific carrier:

Through the web store found at www.google.com/phone, consumers can buy the Nexus One without service (meaning any GSM network SIM card can be inserted into the device), or purchase the phone with service from one of Google’s operator partners. As new phones come to market through this channel, consumers will benefit from the ability to match a phone of their choice with the service plan that best meets their needs.

Nexus One: "Web meets phone"

10 May, 2011

Android@Home

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Google announces Android@Home, a set of protocols that enables users to control household items like light switches, alarm clocks, and kitchen appliances through an Android device. They intend to partner with the Lighting Science Group to create compatible appliances and hope developers will build applications to utilize these features.

6 May, 2013

Joins Google Ventures

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The founding partner announces he is leaving Crunchfund:

Google Ventures sits in a truly unique space within the venture capital industry. They have the resources to make investments at any stage, but more importantly, they have the talent and knowledge required to do so. The partnership is brimming with experience when it comes to starting companies, building products, and scaling.

The firm also has teams in place to help with basically everything an entrepreneur could ever need. These are the highest caliber people in their respective fields all working under one roof to help the portfolio.

6 Jun, 2014

Open Automotive Alliance

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Google creates the Open Automative Alliance to bring the Android system to cars. The companies in the alliance include Google, GM, Honda, Audi, Hyundai and Nvidia. The group’s focus is to integrate Android into the entertainment system. They will develop new features that will allow developers to add car modes to the apps. The alliance plans to launch the first cars in late 2014.

9 Jun, 2014

Doodle competition winner

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doodle

Audrey Zhang of New York wins the Google Doodle art contest. Zhang’s drawing will be animated and displayed on the search engine’s homepage. The doodle, entitled Back to Mother Nature wins out of 100,000 submissions. The scene shows a system that can convert polluted water to clean water for both humans and animals. About her doodle, Zhange comments:

I was thinking that if we didn’t have water, we couldn’t live.

In addition to her work on display, Zhang will receive a $30,000 college scholarships and a $50,000 grant for technology towards her chosen school. Google also will donate $20,000 towards clean water in Bangladesh.

11 Jun, 2014

Google My Business

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Google announces a new tool for business owners called Google My Business. The tool allows businesses to update all of their information in one system. After information is input, the app populates it in Google Search, Google Maps and Google+. This helps businesses get found more easily in the search engine. The app also provides businesses with insight into the background of their viewers, by giving them some tools from Adwords Express. A mobile application will soon be available.

13 Jun, 2014

Hangouts drawing tool

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Google Hangouts adds the ability to draw in your chat window. The tool is similar to Microsoft Paint and allows drawings on blank canvas as well as over pictures. The addition is currently only available to Google+ users.

16 Jun, 2014

First certified partners

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Google names its first certified partners for the Glass At Work program. These partners include APX, AugMedix, Crowdoptic, GuidiGO and Wearable Intelligence. The companies will work to integrate Google Glass for business as well as medical uses. APX Labs’ app will provide business professionals with real-time enterprise data. Augmedix will provide medical professionals with a system to make patient visits efficient. Crowdoptic will create an app that will detect broadcast events in various categories. GuidiGo will work with museums and cultural institutions to enhance visitors’ experience. Wearable Intelligence will create an app for various categories including energy, manufacturing and healthcare. The Glass At Work program will allow the companies to co-brand as well as list on the program website.

17 Jun, 2014

Google removes ‘Dawn’ app

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Google removes the ISIS app ‘Dawn of Glad Tidings’ from the Play store after it is widely reported by media. The app, which posts ISIS-created content including hashtags, links and images over users’ Twitter accounts, has been available for around two months and has been downloaded thousands of times. Google spokesman:

We remove any applications that breach our community guidelines.

19 Jun, 2014

Google Auto Link

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Google introduces Google Auto Link (GAL), an in-car system that will be able to sync with Google Android smartphones. The system will rival Apple’s current Apple Car Play. It is the first product developed under its new partnership with Open Automotive Alliance. The partnership includes Audi, Honda, General Motors, Hyundai and chipmaker NVIDIA Corp . Developers who attend the Google I/O Conference in late June will be able to view the interface and a demonstration.

Android One

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Google announces the Android One, a sub-$100 smartphone aimed at India and other developing nations. The phone will have a 4.5 inch display, dual SIM card slots, and an FM radio. Sundar Pichai, head of Google’s Android division, discusses the phone at Google’s I/O conference:

Our goal is to reach the next five billion people in the world. In India and other countries like that, it’s disappointing that less than 10 percent of the population have access to smartphones.

Google Shows Off 'L', Android One

Android Auto

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Google announces Android Auto, which is a platform that integrates Android phones into the driving experience. Users can use voice commands to get directions, play music, set reminders, and call contacts while driving. The platform is expected be available at the end of 2014.

Android Auto: The right information for the road ahead

Google Domains

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Google announces the launch of Google Domains, a by invitation only service that will help small business find, register and manage their domain names.  The service is now in the beta testing phase.   This new venture puts Google in competition with companies they have partnered with in the past, the largest being GoDaddy.com.  The pricing information has not been made public at this time.

Businesses will be able to search, find, purchase and transfer the best domain for their business — whether it’s .com, .biz, .org, or any of the wide range of new domains that are being released to the Web.

26 Jun, 2014

UK Glass regulations

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Andrew Paterson, senior technology officer at the Information Commissioner’s Office in the UK, writes in a blog post that businesses using Glass are subject to laws in the country regarding how data is stored and secured:

Organizations must not lose sight of the fact that wearables must still operate in compliance with the law and consumers’ personal information must be looked after.

A Google spokeswoman responds:

The fact that Glass is worn above the eyes and the screen lights up whenever it’s activated clearly signals it’s in use and makes it a fairly lousy surveillance device.

27 Jun, 2014

Humanoid robot

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Google withdraws the humanoid robot it bought from a Japanese design firm, SCHAFT, from the Pentagon’s DARPA Robotics Challenge so they can work on a commercial version. The robot is 4 feet 11 inches tall and uses a capacitor instead of a battery for power, giving it more strength than other robots.

SCHAFT : DARPA Robotics Challenge 8 Tasks + Special Walking

3 Jul, 2014

Bans porn ads

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Google notifies Google Ad Words advertisers that they will no longer show ads that contain sexual imagery including, but not limited to, hardcore pornography; graphic sexual acts including sex acts such as masturbation; genital, anal, and oral sexual activity. The company says it’s made this decision to no longer allow porn ads:

as an effort to continually improve users’ experiences with AdWords.